Over 100 people, including students, were kidnapped for ransom last week in Ethiopia’s troubled regions, U.S. Ambassador Ervin Massinga said Monday. These areas have seen sporadic fighting despite a peace agreement in Tigray last November.
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s government has struggled to maintain security outside Tigray. Last year, over 1,300 people were killed in violence, mostly in Amhara and Oromia, according to the UN.
Ambassador Massinga highlighted frequent kidnappings in these regions, noting that prolonged conflict emboldens criminals and weakens the rule of law.
Last Wednesday, three buses were stopped by gunmen about 120 km north of Addis Ababa in Oromia. A student from Debark University, who escaped, said the attackers spoke Oromo and resembled fighters from the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA).
Families are being asked to pay up to 1 million birr ($17,500) for the captives’ release.
Spokespersons for the OLA, local administration, and central government did not respond to requests for comment.
Debark University’s president, Asmamaw Zegeye, confirmed the incident but provided no further details.